Strainer cleaning device



May 20, 1941.

T. H. BIRCH STRAINER CLEANING DEVICE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed March 16, 1940 Il lllllforngy.

May 20, 1941. T. H. BIRCH STRAINER CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inlfe n'r L Patented May 20, 1941 UNTED STATES P FFECE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for cleaning the strainers of AB brake valves employed in conjunction with the air lines and brake equipment of railroad cars; the inventi-on having for an object the provision of a compact portable device capable of use at the car in connection with the air line of the train.

The invention also has for its object the provision of a structure involving means whereby the strainer is positively driven or rotated by the injected cleaning medium or fluid thereby presenting the entire strainer to the forcible jets of cleaning medium flowing into the device and ensuring a more uniform and thorough cleaning of the strainer.

The invention further contemplates a construction whereby certain portions or jets of the cleaning medium, during the strainer cleaning operation, will cause the dirt radially forced from the strainer to be ejected from the cylinder or casing of the device; the invention presenting a device of comparatively simple construction having a single medium inlet opening and a single discharge outlet opening.

The foregoing enumerated objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the device as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of my irnproved device with a strainer positioned therein and also shown in section.

Figure 2 illustrates the upper or hinged cover end of the device showing the cover locking means.

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1 as viewed by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the ofi-set line 5--5 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the strainer holding cage and rotor, with a portion broken away.

The exempliiication or the invention comprises a shell or casing lil with a cylindrical interior or chamber li; the wall of the casing at one side being enlarged and provided witha passage i2 leading upwardly from the lower end of the casing and communicating with the cylindrical chamber through the elongated port or slot I3 arranged tangentially to the diameter of the chamber as shown in Figure 3. The chamber at the side opposite to the port I3 is provided with a discharge opening or outlet I4 through which the dirt laden air or cleaning medium is discharged from the chamber.

The upper end of the yowing IE) is provided with a closure member or cover I5 pivotally mounted at I6 between a pair of lobes or ears I1 secured to the casing, while the free or opposite side of the cover is lprovided. with a link I8 which pendently supports a lever I9, whose upper o-r connected end preferably is of arcuate `formation and slightly enlarged at one side as shown at 2G in Figure 2.

The side of the casing I3 is provided with a downwardly curving or hook-like lug 2| and the link I8, which straddles the lug 2|, is sufciently long to clear the downwardly disposed tip of the hook-like lug 2| and permit the arcuate head o-r upper end of lever i9 to snugly `enter the socket of the lug 2|, so that when lever i9 is swung downwardly as shown in Figure 2, it will cause the cover i5, through the medium of link I8, to be drawn down into tight relation with the top of the casing |53; the cover on top of the casing being preferably provided with a suitable gasket to ensure a substantially air-tight seal. Swinging lever I9 upwardly will cause it to tilt at the fulcrum providing enlargement 20 and enable the cover-holding means to be easily brought into unlocking position.

The lower end of the casing l preferably has a separate bottom 22 secured in place bysuitable screw-bolts as at 23 and a fluid vor air-tight relation ybetween the casing and bottom being preferably obtained by use of a suitable gasket as shown at 2Q.

The bottom 22 is cored to .provide a fluid or compressed air inlet 25 which terminates in a chamber 2E from which a pair of upwardly disposed passages 21 and 26 extend, see Figures 1 and 4. The passage .2 communicates with the passage l2 in one side of the casing and passage 28 communicates with a passage 29 formed in an enlarged portion at the `lower end of the casing as shown in Figure 4; the passage 29 being provided with a port v30 which enters the lower end of the main chamber in a tangential manner.

The bottom 22 is provided with an upwardly disposed hollow stem or spindle 3| closed at its upper end as shown in Figures 1 and 4, while the lower end communicates with the chamber 26; the stem or spindle 3| being centrally disposed in the casing chamber and in one side is provided with a longitudinally disposed slot 32,

which preferably is cut at an angle to the diameter of the spindle as shown in Figure 3.

The spindle 3|, adjacent the bottom, is enlarged lto provide a shoulder for supporting the race-way 33 of the ball-bearing 3d whereby the combined strainer holding cage and rotor member 35 is revolvably supported in the chamber l l The member 35 at its upper end is in the nature of a skeleton or spider cage with large openings 35 as shown in Figure 6; while the base of the member 35 is enlarged and provided with a plurality of tangentially arranged vanes 3l, see Figures 5 and 6, to constitute a rotor or turbine adapted to revolve about the spindle 3|.

The lower or rotor end of the chamber His shown provided with an opening 33extending to the casing exterior.

'I'he top of the base of member 35 is provided with an annular upwardly tapering rib 39 disposed about the central opening in the base and through which the stationary spindle 3| extends.

' The upper end of the cage portion of member 35 is provided with a cap 45 which screws into the open end of the cage and on its lower face is provided with an annular tapering rib 4|, substantially matching the annular rib 39 on the base portion of the cage 35.

The tapering ribs 39 and 4| are intended to properly hold the strainer, generally shown at 42, in the cage portion of member 35 `as shown in Figures 1 and 4 and induce the strainer to revolve with the cage about the spindle 3| and consequently rotating the entire inner foraminated wall of the strainer through the stream of pressure medium issuing through port 32.

The AB brake valve strainers at present in use are in cartridge or cylindrical form consisting of concentrically arranged wire mesh inner and outer tubular members spaced apart with curled hair therebetween and the ends of the hair holding annular chamber closed by suitable felt rings which causes the air to pass through the foraminated cylindrical walls and the intermediate curled hair. As the strainer is a well known construction, further detailed description is not deemed necessary.

The annular ribs 39 and 4|, in the upper and lower parts of the cage, engage the felt or closure rings at opposite ends of the strainer as shown in Figures 1 and 4; a iirm holding of the strainer being eiected by screwing the cap member 4l] downwardly in the upper threaded end of the cage, thus causing the strainer to rotate with the cage. With the annular ribs 39 and 4| eiecting firm engagement with the felt washers at both ends of the strainer, a complete closure for the central or core portion of the strainer is provided so that all air or other medium discharged through slot 32 during cleaning operation is made to pass radially through 4the strainer and hence through the straining medium or hair.

The strainers of brake valves require periodical cleaning which, with devices at present in use, necessitates bringing the cars into the shops which entails considerable loss of time and car service.

With my compact and portable device the cleaning of strainers may be performed while the car (whose brake valve strainer needs cleaning) is coupled in a train by simply removing the strainer from the brake valve and placing it in the cage portion of the combined cage and rotor.V This is readily accomplished by swinging the free end of lever IS upwardly thereby releasing and lifting cover l5, removing cap member 40 and screwing it back into place with its rib 4| in firm engagement wiht the upper end 0f the inserted strainer which at its lower end is seated on annular rib 39. The cover or lid I5 is then locked in closed position and the lower inlet 25 may be connected to the air line of the train, or any other source of compressed air supply. Upon opening the usual valve in the air line, air under pressure enters chamber 26, a portion flows upwardly into the hollow spindle 3|,-a second portion of air flows through passage 28, 29 and is delivered in a tangential direction against the vanes 31 of the rotor by means of port SIL- while a Athird portion ows upwardly through passage 2l, I2 and is tangentially delivered against the outer surface of the strainer and the cage and also sweeps the side walls of the main chamber by means of the elongated port or slot I3 which extends substantially throughout the strainer holding upper portion of the chamber of the main casing.

The elongated port or slot I3 is preferably arranged to discharge the chamber wall sweeping current in the general direction of rotation of the strainer holding cage and induces the dust or dirt laden air or medium coming through the strainer to flow toward the discharge outlet I4.

As is apparent from the drawings, a positively rotating strainer holding cage is provided whereby the entire strainer is successively brought into the path of the pressure medium or air blast issuing from the elongated port 32 in the stationary spindle 3|, effecting a thorough cleaning of the strainer without the necessity of uncoupling the cars or shifting the cars into the shops; the cleaning operation in the manner described being made possible by my improved portable cleaning device.

What I claim is:

1. A -device of. the character described comprising a casing provided with a cylindrical lchamber open at the top and having a discharge opening through one side of the casing and upwardly disposed passages in the opposite side of the casing terminating in ports communicating with said chamber at an angle to the diameter thereof; a chambered bottom member for said casing, having an inlet opening adapted to be connected with a pressure medium supply and provided with a hollow spindle disposed centrally upward in the casing chamber and having a discharge port in its side, the lower endv of the hollow spindle being in communication with the chamber in said bottom member; a combined rotor and strainer holding cage rotatably mounted on said spindle within the casing chamber, the upper cage portion being adapted to hold a cylindrical strainer, while the lower -portion is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged vanes; and means adjustablly secured to saidl cage whereby the icylindrical strainer is immovably held in said cage portion; the bottom member having passages for establishing communication between the chamber in the bottom member and said upwardly disposed passages in the casing wall, whereby medium under pressure from the chamber in the bott-om member will discharge against the vanes and cause the strainer holding cage to revolve about the spindle, a second portion of the medium will discharge through the port in the spindle and made to pass through the strainer, while a third portion of said medium will discharge into said casing chamber against the outer surfaces of the strainer and page.

2. A cleaning device of the character described comprising a casing with a cylindrical chamber, an outlet through the side wall and pressure medium passages in the side wall terminating in tangentially disposed ports communicating, respectively, with the lower end of said chamber and with the upper part of the chamber; a [cover for the top of, the casing; a bottom member for the casing provided with a hollow spindle disposed upwardly in the chamber and closed at its upper end and having an elongatedA dischargeport in its side, the bottom member having a pressure medium receiving chamber arranged in communication with the passages in the casing wall and with the lower end of said spindle; a strainer holding open-sided cage rotatably mounted on the spindle so as to rotate thereabout, sai-d cage being provided with a turbine wheel arranged t receive the pressure medium discharged through one ci said tangential ports; and a cap, adjustably mounted in the upper end of the cage, provided with an annular strainer holding surface.

3. A cylindrical strainer cleaning device comprising a casing with a cylindrical chamber open at top and having an outlet in the side and inlet ports in the side wall arranged tangentially to the diameter of the chamber, one ci said ports extending vertically throughout the upper part of said chamber; a bottom member secured to the lower end of the casing and provided with a hollow spindle disposed upwardly in said chamber and closed at its upper end, the side of the `spindle having an elongated port extending, lengthwise of the spindle, the bottom member having a pressure medium receiving inlet arranged in communication with the ports in the chamber side wall and with the bottom of said hollow spindle; a strainer holding rotor disposed about said spindle and provided with an annular row of vanes which are arranged in the path of the medium discharged b-y one of said rst mentioned inl t ports and the rotor rotated thereby; and means at the upper and lower ends of said rotor for closing and holding the ends of the cylindrical strainer.

d. A strainer cleaning device comp-rising a casing with a ycylindrical chamber provided with an outlet in its side wall and with pressure medium passages, one of, said passages terminating in a tangential port communicating with the lower end of the chamber while the other passage terminates in a vertically elongated port discharging into the upper part of said chamber; a bottom member for the casing provided with a chamber common to said passages and having an inlet adapted to have communication with a supply of cleaning medium under pressure, the bottom member having an upstanding hollow spindle disposed vertically in said cylindrircal chamber and having a vertically extending port in its side; a strainer holding cage rotatably mounteed on the lower end of said spindle and provided with a turbine wheel at its lower end adapted to be driven by the pressure medium discharged by said lirst mentioned passage; a closure member for the upper end of the cage, the closure member and the lower endy of the cage having annular surfaces for engaging the ends of a cylindrical strainer and to close the ends of the central portion thereof; and a closure member for the upper end of said casing.

5. A portable cylindrical strainer cleaning device comprising a casing with a cylindrical chamber provided with an outlet in the side wall and with ports in the opposite side wall arranged tangentially to the diameter of the chamber, one

of said ports communicating with the lower end of the chamber while the other port extends vertically throughout the strainer receiving portion of the chamber; a bottom member for the lower end of the casing provided with a hollow spindle disposed upwardly in Said chamber and provided with an elongated slot in its side wall, the bottom member having a pressure medium receiving opening communicating with said ports and with the spindle; a strainer holding skeleton cage rotatably mounted on said spindle and provided with a plurality. of vanes circumferentially arranged about the lower end of the cage and in the plane of said iirst mentioned port so as to be rotated by the pressure medium discharging through said port; means at opposite ends of said cage for engaging and closing the ends of the strainer; and a closure member for the upper end of the casing.

6. A cylindrical strainer cleaning device comprising a casing with a cylindrical chamber having an outlet while the bottom is provided with an inlet opening adapted to be connected with a source of pressure medium supply, the bottom having a stationary hollow spindle open at the bottom and disposed upwardly in the chamber with an outlet port in its side while the bottom communicates with the inlet opening in the bottom, the casing side wall and the bottom having passages connected with the inlet opening in the bottom and terminating in tangentially arranged ports discharging into the bottom of the chamber and in the upper part of the chamber; a strainer holding skeleton cage disposed about said spindle, having a removable cap adjustably secured to the top and provided with a turbine-wheel at its bottom, anti-friction bearings between the lower end of said cage and the spindle to permit the cage to rotate about the spindle, the relation between the inlet opening in the bottom, the lower open end of the spindle and said passages being such that a portion of the incoming pressure medium will be discharged against the turbine-wheel and cause the cage to rotate, a second portion will now upwardly into the spindle and be discharged through its port and radially through the strainer mounted in the cage, while a third portion will be discharged in the upper part of the chamber and direct the dust laden air toward the outlet.

'7. In a strainer cleaning device, an AB brake valve cylindrical strainer holding cage member open at the top and provided with enlarged openings in its side wall and having a bottom wall, below the side wall openings, provided with a central opening surrounded by an annular upstanding rib, the lower side of said bottom being provided with a depending hub portion disposed about said opening and provided with vertically disposed and circumferentially arranged vanes integral therewith; and an adjustable top for the cage member provided on its lower side with an annular rib concentric and corresponding with the first mentioned rib whereby the cylindrical strainer is held against movement and a closure for the central portion thereof at each end is provided.

8. A device of the character described comprising a casing with a cylindrical chamber provided with a removable top, with a discharge opening in one side wall and with pressure medium receiving passages in the opposite side wall, one of said passages terminating in a tangentially arranged port discharging into the upper part of said chamber, while the other passage terminates in a tangent-rally discharging port in the lower part of the chamber; a bottom member removably secured to the casing to provide a closure for the cylindrical chamber, said bottom member being cored to provide a chamber common to all of said passages and having an inlet to the 5 chamber and a hollow spindle integral with the top of the member, the lower end of the spindle being in communication with said chamber and closed at its top, said spindle being disposed centrally upward in said casing chamber, the side of the spindle having an elongated discharge port; a strainer holding cage, supported by and 10 the cage.

THOMAS HENRY BIRCH. 

